The last item...

As you see, the last item, the silk lined jacket did not upload. Here goes again!

Some second hand scores

First, of course I did make another change to the bamboo red - I did 2 extra lace repeats to make it long enough.
Anyway, here is a 1940s/50s dress I bought in Bizarre, a little second hand clothes shop near where I live. I love it! And found these earrings I have go perfectly.




I also bought this rather beautiful light, unlined silk jacket in the same shop - it is like a faded silk rug in the colours and pattern. Not sure how I'll wear it - perhaps split the side seems up a bit and then do repeat rows of fine stitching along the bottom hem, as there is along the front hems, the wrists and the neck. What do you think, Voddy?

This next I've had for a while, but have cannibalised the buttons (large and white, and positioned just inside the large white border). it's very 60s, and reminds me of my grandmother, my Mutti, who I loved very much. She had all sorts of dresses of this ilk.

The last is a fabulous silk lined (in voile) coat - a little big, the shape doesn't suit - needs refashing. I shall ask Voddy's advice again. C was surprisingly smitten by this silk pattern! Bought on the same day as the first 2 above at a small vintag clothes fair nearby.

Some new FOs

So, here are a couple of completed knitting projects that I don't think I've blogged about yet -one a success, but the first decidedly NOT. A problem of heavy cotton yarn, and the flaws of guage swatches. I did swatch, however, in the knitting I found I had to keep going for smaller and smaller needles as I went up the garment - no I didn't frog, and no I didn't go small enough!

You can see the flaws most clearly on the right, but even the left picture doesn't disguise them very successfully.

This is the bamboo Lotus Blossom Tank from the cover of IK Summer 2006 (oh, the poor specimen above is the Brioche bodice in Colinette wigwam from the same issue - wigwam is a long tube of tee-shirt fabric). I used 3 balls of SWTC bamboo in Fiery red it's a bit deeper than this looks in real life. I loved knitting it, very easy to keep on track, and the only adjustments i made were after thesewing up - I filled in the corners of the front with short rows when I was knitting around the neck to a) stop the front sagging and curling out, and b) make it wearable in terms of bras! It's cool and comfortable - I wore it at the Woolfest, and had lost fo compliments.

You can see how hot it has been here - our lawn is totally dry and brown, doesn't happen most summers as we have quite a bit of shade (and usually lots of rain!)

Thanks for photography go to a very tired C, grabbed immediately she got off her bike after a night shift on the Paediatric ICU - love you!

Wardrobe refashion

I Pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle pre-loved items for myself for the term of my contract. I Pledge that I shall create and craft items of clothing for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. (For two months at this time)

(The cool Wardrobe Refashion blog can be found at http://wardroberefashion.blogspot.com/ )

So, I've committed myself to this - and Voddy has too. In fact, I started this week, and will post some pics of what I have already bought second-hand to play with - or just wear. I've got lots of things waiting in the wings, or already started to be made, too, vis:
1 pair of socks (Mim's Eleonora ones, on the foot of no 1, but currently too hot)
1 circular coccoon jacket - the cover of the Autumn IK, Annie Modesitt
1 'Joe' from House of Hemp
1 Eyelet Chemise from summer IK, but in more Hemp (spring green and a bit of watermelon pink) - and I shall do it longer, as my waist/belly are NOT my best bits, andwithout eyelets.

I'll do another post in a minute to show you the things I have bought and that are waiting in the wings for adaptation.

Cocktails from Voddy

Apologies for lack of blogging however I'm glad to see Ginny has been on the case - I do love those socks G.

I have to say I've been doing very little craft due to a rather annoying neck problem hence the lack of blogging but I am now fighting (ish) fit again and back to the world of making and do-ing. First project is to get on with making felt beads and dyeing them with the lovely kool aid and then hopefully creating some exciting jewellery, just awaiting a large delivery of the sugary drink stuff from a friend in the U.S and then it's all systems go. I promise to blog with photos even if the results are shocking.

While not crafting I have been keeping up the cocktail end of the bargain instead - mostly at my new hairdressers where they will not only do your barnet but give you a champers cocktail in burlesque dressing room-esque surroundings. I fear I may end up having lovely hair but a not so lovely bank balance so have instead decided to turn my home into a burlesque dressing room and learn how to make the perfect bellini - I should have fun trying if nothing else.